Join us

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Newsletter

Shokoofeh Azar

The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree

Cover: The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree - Shokoofeh Azar

Shokoofeh Azar

The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree

2021, pp. 272, Paperback
ISBN: 9781787703100
Region: Iran
Book collection: Europa B-formats
Available as ebook Available as ebook Available as ebook
£ 8.99

The book

SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2020 INTERNATIONAL BOOKER PRIZE

A family story about the unbreakable connection between the living and the dead

Set in Iran in the decade following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, this moving, richly imagined novel is narrated by the ghost of Bahar, a thirteen-year-old girl, whose family is compelled to flee their home in Tehran for a new life in a small village, hoping in this way to preserve both their intellectual freedom and their lives. But they soon find themselves caught up in the post-revolutionary chaos that sweeps across their ancient land and its people. Bahar’s mother, after a tragic loss, will embark on a long, eventful journey in search of meaning.

The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree speaks of the power of imagination when confronted with cruelty, and of our human need to make sense of trauma through the ritual of storytelling itself. Through her unforgettable characters, Azar weaves a timely and timeless story that juxtaposes the beauty of an ancient, vibrant culture with the brutality of an oppressive political regime.

The author

Shokoofeh Azar
Shokoofeh Azar moved to Australia as a political refugee in 2011. She is the author of essays, articles, and children’s books, and is the first Iranian woman to hitchhike the entire length of the Silk Road. The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree, originally written in Farsi, was shortlisted for Australia’s Stella Prize for Fiction and is her first novel to be translated into English.

Reviews

Books by region

  • Cover: The Gardens of Consolation - Parisa Reza

    Parisa Reza

    The Gardens of Consolation

    2017, pp. 272, £ 11.99
    A powerful love story unfolds against the backdrop of a rapidly changing Iran
  • Cover: The Man Who Snapped His Fingers - Fariba Hachtroudi

    Fariba Hachtroudi

    The Man Who Snapped His Fingers

    2016, pp. 144, £ 9.99
    Winner of the 2001 French Human Rights Prize, French-Iranian author Hachtroudi’s English-language debut explores themes as old as time: the crushing...

More suggestions

  • Cover: Y/N - Esther Yi

    Esther Yi

    Y/N

    2024, pp. 196, £ 9.99
    A novel about obsessive fandom and literary self-destruction.
  • Cover: The House of Gazes - Daniele Mencarelli

    Daniele Mencarelli

    The House of Gazes

    2024, pp. 224, £ 14.99
    A powerful coming-of-age story about loss, identity, and rebirth.
  • Cover: Fathers and Fugitives - S J Naudé

    S J Naudé

    Fathers and Fugitives

    2024, pp. 192, £ 14.99
    An inventive and emotionally charged novel about fatherhood and family, loyalty and betrayal, inheritance and belonging.
  • Cover: The Mortal and Immortal Life of the Girl from Milan - Domenico Starnone

    Domenico Starnone

    The Mortal and Immortal Life of the Girl from Milan

    2024, pp. 144, £ 14.99
    An enchanting story, in the unique voice of one of Italy’s greatest contemporary writers.
  • Cover: Luda - Grant Morrison

    Grant Morrison

    Luda

    2024, pp. 464, £ 10.99
    A drag queen becomes obsessed with her mysterious young rival who might be an occultist, or a murderer… or the greatest star of all.
  • Cover: The Silence of the Choir - Mohamed Mbougar Sarr

    Mohamed Mbougar Sarr

    The Silence of the Choir

    2024, pp. 368, £ 14.99
    A polyphonic tale of immigration and community by the winner of the 2021 Prix Goncourt